1. Using dual screens (where the DS gets it name) is an amazing idea that seems strange at first, but allows for some great game designs that would be much more difficult or clumsy on a single screen. The screens are beautiful, bright and crisp on the DS Lite!
2. Touch screen gaming is the only way to play! I would much rather intuitively tap and drag than learn lots of confusing button combinations. The touch screen is just so natural, and I can't imaging using anything else.
3. Lots of DS games have excellent music which plays in stereo. The built-in speakers are OK, but using headphones really brings out some high quality sound!
4. If you play for hour or so a day like I do, it seems like the battery lasts forever! There's a great indicator light that give you plenty of warning when you need to charge, and recharging is a snap.
5. The DS Lite is such a nice, convenient size that can go anywhere. It hardly takes up any room in my carry-on bag when I fly, which is when my DS gets a real workout.
6. Wireless play is really incredible, especially the innovation that both players don't need to buy the same game in most cases, thanks to Download Play! It couldn't be easier to get a game started, and playing together is lots of fun (my Dad and I can vouch for that!). Playing over Wi-Fi is cool, too!
7. The DS is super-popular in Japan, which means there are tons of incredible games that never see US shelves - but the DS is a region-free device! I love ordering Japanese games and increasing my language skills, and there are tons of education titles available, too.
8. For me, the Japanese aspects of the DS make it even more exciting, since it's fun to be hooked into something so popular in current Japanese culture. The DS is heavily promoted in Japan, and it seems there are always new hilarious commercials coming out, which are ready to watch on Nintendo's Japanese website.
9. Now we get to the good stuff, which is the incredible game selection! Innovative, unusual, character-driven and hilarious games are what the DS is all about, which is fantastic when you aren't a fan of the same old sports or shooter games. I especially love puzzle games (including adventure and mystery), and there are tons of them for the DS!
10. Finally, the Nintendo DS is the only hand-held platform that can really make rhythm games (my favorite kind of game) feasible and fun! There are lots of these style games available from Japan, and I can't begin to add up the hours I've spent enjoying them! It's definitely true that games make the platform - so take a look at some past WEBmikey DS game reviews and convince yourself to join the DS revolution.

Labels: games